Problem Solved! Saints Appear To Have Finally Found Answers At Both Tackle Positions

For the last two seasons, the New Orleans Saints have had major issues along their offensive line. Since left tackle Terron Armstead departed as a free agent after the 2021-22 campaign, there has been a particularly glaring hole at tackle. It was a hole that grew bigger with the injury decline of RT Ryan Ramczyk and subsequent sidelining for all of this season with knee issues.

Free agent acquisitions, lineup shuffling, and draft picks failed to provide the necessary answers. Those failures have forced the Saints to spend a top-20 first-round choice on the tackle position for the second time in three offseasons this spring.

New Orleans has continued to have blocking problems in 2024. Most of those issues have been on the interior, where injuries have stripped the team of all three starters for a large chunk of the year.

Tackle has not been one of the many, many, problems that have plagued New Orleans this season. Both the quality and long-term future of the position have been answered by two first-round investments, including one who most had given up on as a massive bust.

New Orleans Saints tackle Trevor Penning (70) blocks San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Trevor Penning

The 19th overall choice in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Penning was considered a somewhat raw but extremely promising talent out of Northern Iowa. A foot injury in the final preseason game of his rookie year prevented him from winning the left tackle job and sidelined him for the first 11 contests of that season.

Once healthy, Penning was only used as an extra blocker before finally getting his first NFL start in the 2022-23 season finale. Penciled in as the starter at left tackle to start last year, Penning struggled mightily. He was ultimately benched in the sixth game of the year and saw only 13 offensive snaps over year's last 11 contests.

Moved to right tackle this offseason, many felt that Penning would still be the weak point of an already suspect offensive line. Instead, he's developed into perhaps the unit's most consistent performer. He's also been durable, missing only six offensive snaps through 11 New Orleans games this year.

Penning, just 25, has been a dominant run blocker most of the time for a team that prefers to run on that side. The 6'7" and 325-Lb. mammoth still shows some inexperience and footwork issues in pass protection, but has greatly improved that area of his game.

New Orleans Saints tackle Taliese Fuaga (75) lines up against the Dallas Cowboys / Edwin Goode - neworleans.football

Taliese Fuaga

A 2023 1st Team All-American at right tackle with Oregon State, the Saints made Fuaga the 14th overall selection in last spring's draft. He was the fourth tackle chosen and one of eight tackles picked in the first round.

Despite playing right tackle in college, Fuaga was moved to the left side by the Saints. He was installed as an immediate starter and showed a seamless transition to the position. Quickly growing in the job, Fuaga has also missed only 17 offensive snaps through his 11 starts for the team.

Fuaga has been a standout run blocker, particularly on sweeps and pitches to his side. Despite his inexperience at the position, he's also proven to be an outstanding pass protector while often facing the opponent's best pass rusher.

Fuaga's performance against the Browns in Week 11 highlighted how special he can be. Cleveland DE Myles Garrett, the NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, came into that game with seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. In Thursday's victory over Pittsburgh, Garrett destroyed the Steelers with three sacks, four pressures, and a forced fumble.

New Orleans Saints tackle Taliese Fuaga (75) pass blocks against the Atlanta Falcons / New Orleans Saints

Against the Saints, Garrett predominantly faced Fuaga on the left side of the New Orleans line. Garrett was not only held without a sack, he didn't even register a single tackle or pressure in the Saints victory.

Just 22, Fuaga is quickly rising to among the league's best young stars at the position. Penning and Fuaga are also each still on their rookie contracts, critical for a Saints team that's looking to rebuild while dealing with major salary cap issues.

One spot that won't need offseason attention is tackle. Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning have not only solidified a point of weakness, but are important anchors for an offense as they look to rebuild for the future.